As the Spring Festival approaches, Shanghai's imported fruit market is experiencing a surge in sales, marking the start of its peak season.
The Spring Festival, or Chinese Lunar New Year, falls on Jan. 29 this year. The holiday atmosphere gradually builds during the last lunar month of the year, with consumption surging across many fields as people prepare for the grand traditional festival.
A surge in demand for imported fruits like Chilean cherries has turned one wholesale market into a hub of activity, with vendors working 16-hour days to process the constant stream of orders.
"This year, the supply of Chilean cherries is abundant, and prices are slightly lower compared to previous years. Approximately 3,000 tons are supplied daily, and the sales peak is expected to last until the Spring Festival," said Wang Xianjian, a market management staff member.
In addition to cherries, the sales of imported citrus fruits, grapes, blueberries, and other items are also on the rise. Foreign suppliers are now a common sight in these markets, working closely with local vendors to ensure that their products are readily available to customers.
"It's amazing. In this market you can sell over 100 containers per day. So, our idea is to keep growing in the future and to provide to China more and more," said Victor Villagra, a Chilean merchant.
Shanghai sees surge in imported fruit sales ahead of Spring Festival
More than a month ahead of the Chinese New Year, restaurants across China have reported a booming demand for reunion dinners, with popular places already fully reserved.
The family reunion dinners on the eve of the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, is the most important meal of the year for Chinese people. It has long been an essential part of celebrating the Chinese New Year. This year, the festival falls on Feb 17.
In Taiyuan, capital city of north China's Shanxi Province, one restaurant said all tables for the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner have been reserved.
"We now have 36 private rooms and 13 tables in the hall. The New Year's Eve dinner is fully booked. Many families started reserving as early as November 2025," said Han Huiyan, a restaurant manager.
To meet the demand, many restaurants start to offer takeaway banquet package that can be easily prepared at home, allowing families to enjoy a variety of festive dishes without dining out.
In Ningbo, a city in east China's Zhejiang Province, many popular restaurants said that they are approaching full reservation levels. To reduce peak demand, some restaurants now offer off-peak reunion dinners starting later at night.
"We now offer a 'second round' of New Year's Eve dinners, which start at 19:30. We also offer discount for such New Year's Eve dinners, a promotion of 20 percent off set menus," said Sun Lijuan, a restaurant manager.
In Lianyungang, a city in east China's Jiangsu Province, smaller private rooms of a local restaurant have been nearly sold out, and customized menus and home-delivery services have drawn strong interest.
"This year we have specially launched the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner delivery service. Bookings are very strong and customers really like this option," said Geng Maoran, a restaurant general manager.
Restaurants see surge in bookings for Chinese New Year's Eve dinners
